NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT) — A New Bethlehem man was sentenced to time served on Wednesday on a charge related to the theft of a dirt bike.

On Wednesday, April 24, President Judge James Arner sentenced 21-year-old Cooper Allen, of New Bethlehem, to a minimum of 195 days up to a maximum of two years less one day confinement in Clarion County Jail on one second-degree felony count of burglary, not adapted for overnight accommodation, no person present.

He received credit for 195 days served and was given immediate parole.

Allen pleaded guilty to the above charge on February 20, 2019.

As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:

• Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 2
• Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Felony 3

Details of the case:

A criminal complaint filed by Sergeant Nicole Peck, of the New Bethlehem Borough Police Department, indicates that she was contacted on September 19 by a known individual who reported that a dirt bike had been stolen from his Penn Street garage.

The owner of the dirt bike told Sargeant Peck that when he woke in the morning, the dirt bike was missing, after knowing with certainty that it was there when he went to bed for the previous evening. Sargeant Peck viewed video footage from the scene and observed the suspect entering the garage at 5:00 a.m. She recognized the suspect as 21-year-old Cooper Allen, of New Bethlehem.

According to the criminal complaint, Sargeant Peck then went to Allen’s Vine Street residence at 11:00 a.m., and he denied any involvement in the burglary. During her visit, however, Sargeant Peck did notice a fresh dirt bike path to Allen’s garage apartment.

She went on to state that Allen did agree to participate in a polygraph on September 24 at the Clarion State Police barracks.

Allen did not take a polygraph; however, he eventually admitted to having knowledge of where the bike was being stored, according to the criminal complaint.

The criminal complaint states that Allen was read his Miranda Rights at the New Bethlehem Borough Police station on September 27 and admitted to his involvement in the burglary.

According to Allen’s testimony, he met up with a known male in Clarion on the night of September 18, and the two men traveled to New Bethlehem Borough after Allen told the man that he knew of a dirt bike in a garage on Penn Street. According to Allen, the known male was interested in the bike because he “needed money.”

Allen then claimed that he and the known man entered the garage and exited with the dirt bike. The two men then pushed the bike to Allen’s house before loading it into the known male’s vehicle. They later hid the bike in a field, according to the criminal complaint.

The criminal complaint states that Allen then took Sargeant Peck and members of Clarion-based State Police to the location where the bike was being kept. It was retrieved and later returned to its owner.